M3D

OUR STORY

M3D AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MICRO 3D PRINTER

As with many tech startups, M3D began as an idea in a basement. Founded in 2012, co­founders Michael Armani and David Jones joined heads and developed dozens of new technologies, leading to several patents. which ultimately represented the key to making affordable 3D printing possible, laying the initial groundwork that would propel M3D’s future as a champion of consumer 3D printing.

With those initial blueprints, Armani and Jones went on to introduce the Micro 3D Printer, which quickly became the largest crowdfunded printer in east coast history, and even more exciting, the world’s first truly accessible consumer 3D printer. Resonating with consumers immediately, M3D sold more than 11,000 printers and raised over $3.4 million during its one­month debut on Kickstarter. Clearly, M3D had come a long way from its basement startup days and began its transformation into a full­fledged company with one mission—put more 3D printers in more people’s hands.

With the Micro, M3D opened a completely new market of artists, businesses, educators, students, and general consumers curious enough to create with 3D printing. Now, after years of hard work, with the Micro firmly set in the market as a go­to entry level printer, M3D is looking ahead.

M3D AS A MARKET LEADER

In September 2014, M3D released its retail version of the Micro 3D Printer to critical acclaim, quickly labeled as the perfect printer for beginners. Computerworld praised it as “a winner that I can recommend without reservation” and Digital Trends endorsed it saying “if you’re after a solid entry­level printer, look no further.” Both Tom’s Guide and 3D Forged rated it as the best printer of its class.

Not too far from the retail release of the Micro, in order to introduce dynamic applications for everyday users, the company announced two new filaments at CES 2016—Tough 3D Ink and ABS­R 3D Ink. Tough 3D Ink offered unprecedented utility for 3D printing, thanks to its strength and controlled amount of rigidity and flexibility. The new filament allowed users to print longer­-lasting objects fit for everyday tasks and projects. When compared to traditional filaments, which have a fraction of the bond strength and are typically brittle when printed, Tough 3D Ink is unparalleled.

ABS­R is a replacement filament for the traditional engineering favorite ABS, sporting increased bonding, lower warp, odorless emissions and compatibility with non-­heated print beds. ABS historically has been associated with a strong odor, poor bonding and a tendency to warp. M3D’s ABS­R removes these side effects, making it a more accessible alternative while still offering the same capabilities and use cases of tried­-and­-true classic ABS, making it a new industry standard.